05-behavior-第3部分

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secret；　just　what　happens　to　every　two　persons　who　meet　on　any

affair；　　one　instantly　perceives　that　he　has　the　key　of　the

situation；　that　his　will　comprehends　the　other's　will；　as　the　cat

does　the　mouse；　and　he　has　only　to　use　courtesy；　and　furnish

good…natured　reasons　to　his　victim　to　cover　up　the　chain；　lest　he　be

shamed　into　resistance。



　　　　　　　　The　theatre　in　which　this　science　of　manners　has　a　formal

importance　is　not　with　us　a　court；　but　dress…circles；　wherein；　after

the　close　of　the　day's　business；　men　and　women　meet　at　leisure；　for

mutual　entertainment；　in　ornamented　drawing…rooms。　　Of　course；　it　has

every　variety　of　attraction　and　merit；　but；　to　earnest　persons；　to

youths　or　maidens　who　have　great　objects　at　heart；　we　cannot　extol　it

highly。　　A　well…dressed；　talkative　company；　where　each　is　bent　to

amuse　the　other；　　yet　the　high…born　Turk　who　came　hither　fancied

that　every　woman　seemed　to　be　suffering　for　a　chair；　that　all　the

talkers　were　brained　and　exhausted　by　the　deoxygenated　air：　it

spoiled　the　best　persons：　it　put　all　on　stilts。　　Yet　here　are　the

secret　biographies　written　and　read。　　The　aspect　of　that　man　is

repulsive；　I　do　not　wish　to　deal　with　him。　　The　other　is　irritable；

shy；　and　on　his　guard。　　The　youth　looks　humble　and　manly：　I　choose

him。　　Look　on　this　woman。　　There　is　not　beauty；　nor　brilliant

sayings；　nor　distinguished　power　to　serve　you；　but　all　see　her

gladly；　her　whole　air　and　impression　are　healthful。　　Here　come　the

sentimentalists；　and　the　invalids。　　Here　is　Elise；　who　caught　cold　in

coming　into　the　world；　and　has　always　increased　it　since。　　Here　are

creep…mouse　manners；　and　thievish　manners。　　〃Look　at　Northcote；〃　said

Fuseli；　〃he　looks　like　a　rat　that　has　seen　a　cat。〃　In　the　shallow

company；　easily　excited；　easily　tired；　here　is　the　columnar　Bernard：

the　Alleghanies　do　not　express　more　repose　than　his　behavior。　　Here

are　the　sweet　following　eyes　of　Cecile：　it　seemed　always　that　she

demanded　the　heart。　　Nothing　can　be　more　excellent　in　kind　than　the

Corinthian　grace　of　Gertrude's　manners；　and　yet　Blanche；　who　has　no

manners；　has　better　manners　than　she；　for　the　movements　of　Blanche

are　the　sallies　of　a　spirit　which　is　sufficient　for　the　moment；　and

she　can　afford　to　express　every　thought　by　instant　action。



　　　　　　　　Manners　have　been　somewhat　cynically　defined　to　be　a

contrivance　of　wise　men　to　keep　fools　at　a　distance。　　Fashion　is

shrewd　to　detect　those　who　do　not　belong　to　her　train；　and　seldom

wastes　her　attentions。　　Society　is　very　swift　in　its　instincts；　and；

if　you　do　not　belong　to　it；　resists　and　sneers　at　you；　or　quietly

drops　you。　　The　first　weapon　enrages　the　party　attacked；　the　second

is　still　more　effective；　but　is　not　to　be　resisted；　as　the　date　of

the　transaction　is　not　easily　found。　　People　grow　up　and　grow　old

under　this　infliction；　and　never　suspect　the　truth；　ascribing　the

solitude　which　acts　on　them　very　injuriously；　to　any　cause　but　the

right　one。



　　　　　　　　The　basis　of　good　manners　is　self…reliance。　　Necessity　is　the

law　of　all　who　are　not　self…possessed。　　Those　who　are　not

self…possessed；　obtrude；　and　pain　us。　　Some　men　appear　to　feel　that

they　belong　to　a　Pariah　caste。　　They　fear　to　offend；　they　bend　and

apologize；　and　walk　through　life　with　a　timid　step。　　As　we　sometimes

dream　that　we　are　in　a　well…dressed　company　without　any　coat；　so

Godfrey　acts　ever　as　if　he　suffered　from　some　mortifying

circumstance。　　The　hero　should　find　himself　at　home；　wherever　he　is：

should　impart　comfort　by　his　own　security　and　good…nature　to　all

beholders。　　The　hero　is　suffered　to　be　himself。　　A　person　of　strong

mind　comes　to　perceive　that　for　him　an　immunity　is　secured　so　long　as

he　renders　to　society　that　service　which　is　native　and　proper　to　him；

　an　immunity　from　all　the　observances；　yea；　and　duties；　which

society　so　tyrannically　imposes　on　the　rank　and　file　of　its　members。

〃Euripides；〃　says　Aspasia；　〃has　not　the　fine　manners　of　Sophocles；

but；〃　　she　adds　good…humoredly；　〃the　movers　and　masters　of　our

souls　have　surely　a　right　to　throw　out　their　limbs　as　carelessly　as

they　please；　on　the　world　that　belongs　to　them；　and　before　the

creatures　they　have　animated。〃　（*）



　　　　　　　　（*）　Landor：　_Pericles　and　Aspasia_。



　　　　　　　　Manners　require　time；　as　nothing　is　more　vulgar　than　haste。

Friendship　should　be　surrounded　with　ceremonies　and　respects；　and　not

crushed　into　corners。　　Friendship　requires　more　time　than　poor　busy

men　can　usually　command。　　Here　comes　to　me　Roland；　with　a　delicacy　of

sentiment　leading　and　inwrapping　him　like　a　divine　cloud　or　holy

ghost。　　'Tis　a　great　destitution　to　both　that　this　should　not　be

entertained　with　large　leisures；　but　contrariwise　should　be　balked　by

importunate　affairs。



　　　　　　　　But　through　this　lustrous　varnish；　the　reality　is　ever　shining。

'Tis　hard　to　keep　the　_what_　from　breaking　through　this　pretty

painting　of　the　_how_。　　The　core　will　come　to　the　surface。　　Strong

will　and　keen　perception　overpower　old　manners；　and　create　new；　and

the　thought　of　the　present　moment　has　a　greater　value　than　all　the

past。　　In　persons　of　character；　we　do　not　remark　manners；　because　of

their　instantaneousness。　　We　are　surprised　by　the　thing　done；　out　of

all　power　to　watch　the　way　of　it。　　Yet　nothing　is　more　charming　than

to　recognize　the　great　style　which　runs　through　the　actions　of　such。

People　masquerade　before　us　in　their　fortunes；　titles；　offices；　and

connections；　as　academic　or　civil　presidents；　or　senators；　or

professors；　or　great　lawyers；　and　impose　on　the　frivolous；　and　a　good

deal　on　each　other；　by　these　fames。　　At　least；　it　is　a　point　of

prudent　good　manners　to　treat　these　reputations　tenderly；　as　if　they

were　merited。　　But　the　sad　realist　knows　these　fellows　at　a　glance；

and　they　know　him；　as　when　in　Paris　the　chief　of　the　police　enters　a

ballroom；　so　many　diamonded　pretenders　shrink　and　make　themselves　as

inconspicuous　as　they　can；　or　give　him　a　supplicating　look　as　they

pass。　　〃I　had　received；〃　said　a　sibyl；　〃I　had　received　at　birth　the

fatal　gift　of　penetration：〃　　and　these　Cassandras　are　always　born。



　　　　　　　　Manners　impress　as　they　indicate　real　power。　　A　man　who　is　sure

of　his　point；　carries　a　broad　and　contented　expression；　which

everybody　reads。　　And　you　cannot　rightly　train　one　to　an　air　and

manner；　except　by　making　him　the　kind　of　man　of　whom　that　manner　is

the　natural　expression。　　Nature　forever　puts　a　premium　on　reality。

What　is　done　for　effect；　is　seen　to　be　done　for　effect；　what　is　done

for　love；　is　felt　to　be　done　for　love。　　A　man　inspires　affection　and

honor；　because　he　was　not　lying　in　wait　for　these。　　The　things　of　a

man　for　which　we　visit　him；　were　done　in　the　dark　and　the　cold。　　A

little　integrity　is　better　than　any　career。　　So　deep　are　the　sources

of　this　surface…action；　that　even　the　size　of　your　companion　seems　to

vary　with　his　freedom　of　thought。　　Not　only　is　he　larger；　when　at

ease；　and　his　thoughts　generous；　but　everything　around　him　becomes

variable　with　expression。　　No　carpenter's　rule；　no　rod　and　chain；

will　measure　the　dimensions　of　any　house　or　house…lot：　go　into　the

house：　if　the　proprietor　is　constrained　and　deferring；　'tis　of　no

importance　how　large　his　house；　how　beautiful　his　grounds；　　you

quickly　come　to　the　end　of　all：　but　if　the　man　is　self…possessed；

happy；　and　at　home；　his　house　is　deep…founded；　indefinitely　large　and

interesting；　the　roof　and　dome　buoyant　as　the　sky。　　Under　the

humblest　roof；　the　commonest　person　in　plain　clothes　sits　there

massive；　cheerful；　yet　formidable　like　the　Egyptian　colossi。



　　　　　　　　Neither　Aristotle；　nor　Leibnitz；　nor　Junius；　nor　Champollion

has　set　down　the　grammar…rules　of　this　dialect；　older　than　Sanscrit；

but　they　who　cannot　yet　read　English；　can　read　this。　　Men　take　each

other's　measure；　when　they　meet　for　the　first　time；　　and　every　time

they　meet。　　How　do　they　get　this　rapid　knowledge；　even　before　they

speak；　of　each　other's　power　and　dispositions？　　One　would　say；　that

the　persuasion　of　their　speech　is　not　in　what　they　say；　　or；　that

men　do　not　convince　by　their　argument；　　but　by　their　personality；

by　who　they　are；　and　what　they　said　and　did　heretofore。　　A　man

already　strong　is　listened　to；　and　everything　he　says　is　applauded。

Another　opposes　him　with　sound　argument；　but　the　argument　is　scouted；

until　by　and　by　it　gets　into　the　mind　of　some　weighty　person；　then　it

begins　to　tell　on　the　community。



　　　　　　　　Self…reliance　is　the　basis　of　behavior；　as　it　is　the　guaranty

that　the　powers　are　not　squandered　in　too　much　demonstration。　　In

this　country；　where　school　education　is　universal；　we　have　a

superficial　culture；　and　a　profusion　of　reading　and　writing　and

expression。　　We　parade　our　nobilities　in　poems　and　orations；　instead

of　working　them　up　into　happiness。　　There　is　a　whisper　out　of　the

ages　to　him　who　can　understand　it；　　‘whatever　is　known　to　thyself

alone；　has　always　very　great　value。'　There　is　some　reason　to　believe；

that；　when　a　man　does　not　write　his　poetry；　it　escapes　by　other　vents

through　him；　instead　of　the　one　vent　of　writing；　clings　to　his　form

and　manners；　whilst　poets　have　often　nothing　poetical　about　them

except　their　verses。　　Jacobi　said；　that　〃when　a　man　has　fully

expressed　his　thought；　he　has　somewhat　less　possession　of　it。〃　One

would　say；　the　rule　is；　　What　a　man　is　irresistibly　urged　to　say；

helps　him　and　us。　　In　explaining　his　thought　to　others；　he　explains

it　to　himself：　but　when　he　opens　it　for　show；　it　corrupts　him。



　　　　　　　　Society　is　the　stage　on　which　manners　are　shown；　novels　are

their　literature。　　Novels　are　the　journal　or　record　of　manners；　and

the　new　importance　of　these　books　derives　from　the　fact；　that　the

novelist　begins　to　penetrate　the　surface；　and　treat　this　part　of　life

more　worthily。　　The　novels　used　to　be　all　alike；　and　had　a　quite

vulgar　tone。　　The　novels　used　to　lead　us　on　to　a　foolish　interest　in

t